


Wilted Sunflowers

by teecup_angel



Series: Flower Divergence Series [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route Spoilers, Mentioned Black Eagles Students (Fire Emblem), Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-08 01:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20827259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teecup_angel/pseuds/teecup_angel
Summary: She had chosen to lead the Black Eagles yet he had still fallen for her.Maybe it was his wishful thinking but he thinks she has fallen for him too.But fate was a cruel mistress and now, five years later, he waits for her in this rainy battlefield for one last stand.(Crimson Flower Route Canon Divergence, Dimileth)





	1. Sunflower: “Yearning” / “Longing” / ”Affection”

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eisneRiegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/gifts).

> Did someone want angst? Not me! I didn’t want angst but here I am writing angst instead of writing the actual next Dimileth fanfic I was planning on writing because of [eisneRiegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan) so if I have to suffer, I’m taking you all down with me. XD
> 
> This is… ‘loosely’ based on Crimson Flower route because you actually cannot invite Dimitri to tea or give him gifts unless it was his birthday (I tried, okay, I tried each month!) but I needed a way to make this fic work so I’m bending the game mechanics (IS, please let me have tea with him and give him flowers in the other routes so I can headcanon that Byleth fell in love with him regardless of the route and make the other routes much more painful!)
> 
> I haven’t played CF route yet (I am procrastinating and waiting for the supposed ‘new chapters’ to be added first) but [eisneRiegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan) was playing it and well… we chatted about the stage where she had to kill Dimitri while she was doing it (and I have posted the highlights of our pain in [Twitter](https://twitter.com/AngelInATeecup1/status/1178171216957329410?s=09&fbclid=IwAR0HgcIRJp258i55X0E8uM-0ACs88UhWxQNSsIkylZVGILHrHKVvr3Kk2bU), click the link to see it for yourself). Anyway, this fic was created because of that pain so, yeah, thank her for this.  
Some lines are directly from CF route as well. You guys would probably know which ones they are

It wasn’t love at first sight.

If he was being honest, he had been wary of her when they first met. She had been cold and detached as she killed the bandits that were after them, her voice calm and clear as she ordered them like they were just pawns for her to use as she wished. He had been at awe of her skills and he had wanted that strength for his kingdom, for the broken and dying kingdom of Faerghus. 

He had been polite about it as that was how he was raised and he had joined Claude in trying to engage her in small talks as they traveled back to the monastery. She had mostly been quiet and, whenever they got an actual reply, her words would be brief and to the point. Yet, she didn’t appear to be rude. She listened attentively at them and looked like she was actually interested.

Sometimes, he would catch her looking at him. 

Or maybe that was just his wishful thinking.

After all… she had picked the Black Eagle. 

He wasn’t surprised. Well, he was a bit surprised. He expected her to pick the Golden Deer as Edelgard had mainly kept to herself during their journey back and only joined their conversation when she felt the need to make her opinion known. 

He didn’t expect her to pick his house from the very beginning. Considering the current state of affairs of his kingdom and his…

He would have been more surprised had she decided to pick the Blue Lions.

Now that she was the professor of the Black Eagle, he had assumed they would not see each other that much.

But they did.

It started out small. He would see her pass him on her way somewhere. Sometimes they would pass each other often on the very same day. If she caught him staring, she would nod at him and he would nod back. Then he found out the reasons why she always seemed so busy were because she was helping out in the monastery, talking to people and solving their problems which ranged from finding an item to going out of her and her class’ way and taking care of bandits or joining a training exercise, answering the questions in the advice box, picking up lost items and returning them to their owner and inviting people to choir practice, tea or to an actual meal in the dining hall. 

He may have wanted her for her strength first but now he wanted her for her kindness as well. 

That was the day he felt glad she wasn’t his professor.

He wanted her. 

And he wanted her to want him too.

So he accepted her invitations to tea and meal. He walked with her to have a few minutes to talk if they were going the same direction. He agreed to choir practice even when he never really had any interest in it just to hear her sing. He would help her get the books that were too high for her to get. She would give him tips in the training ground whenever he would be there to train while she was supervising one of her students. She even got him to accept a spar against Ferdinand and she had spent the entire time instructing not only her Black Eagle student but him as well. He hadn’t been able to hold his attack back then, unable to stop his desire to impress her and hear her praise him. Ferdinand had been surprised but overjoyed by the spar and, sometimes, the Imperial noble would ask him for another spar which he would accept even if she wasn’t there to see it. 

They would sometimes talk about class plans and she had been the one to suggest that Dedue aim to be a War Master instead of a Fortress Knight when he told her Dedue didn’t really need the armor to be untouchable and to give Mercedes a Magic Bow instead of a Silver Bow to capitalize on her prowess in magic. Professor Hanneman had been impressed by the insight when he had suggested those changes to him during their next class and that only strengthen his idea that she was truly exceptional. 

He accepted the gifts she gave him, many of which he actually loved like the whetstone and riding boots. The sunflowers he would occasionally get from her had been strange to receive but he accepted them with a smile, knowing from Dedue that she had grown them herself. The sunflowers were smaller than the one he would usually see but, to him, that made it all the more special. Those flowers were the only decoration in his room.

The Battle of Eagle and Lion may have ended with the Black Eagle’s win but he couldn’t help the sense of pride and elation he felt when she had praised his class. He took her criticism to heart and talked to Professor Hanneman in length on how they could implement her suggestions and observations to better everyone’s performances. He couldn’t even deny the sense of dark joy he felt when he saw Edelgard’s pursed expression when her own professor had chosen to praise his class instead of hers. He even saw Claude look at the three of them with an entertained expression on his face, as if he was an audience to an opera or a play.

He couldn’t deny the jealousy he felt when he saw her dance with Claude. As soon as the music had stopped, he was right in front of them, asking for her hand. He could have danced with her the entire night but that would have been improper and Edelgard had already asked for her hand the minute the music had finished, whisking her away from him as he politely accepted the request for a dance from the other students. 

Meeting in the Goddess Tower had been a coincidence brought by both of their desire to escape the dancing. In the privacy of the nightly sky, staring at her, he had asked her if she would be willing to accompany him back to Fhirdiad after he graduated. She knew what he had been implying. It was risky, yes, but he had nothing to lose. Yes, it was inappropriate because he was a student and she was a professor but she wasn’t his professor and he was willing to risk it. If it meant she could be with him, if it meant she would finally choose him…

She didn’t.

But she also didn’t reject him.

“Please give me time to think about it.” She had said back then.

And he had accepted it.

He was willing to wait.

She was worth the wait.

No matter how long that may be.

That night broke a wall between them. Even if she didn’t agree to come with him, it was still a move forward and he thought it showed in their interactions with one another. The tea party she held for the two of them during his birthday had been the happiest he had been ever since… that day.

Just the two of them, drinking tea while sharing a cake he could not even taste with a bouquet of sunflowers carefully placed on a vase between them, a bouquet Dedue informed him she had grown with care for weeks... 

It was a taste, a sample of what their life could be if she accepted his offer, if she decided to stay in Fhirdiad with him. A taste of a future with her… 

But then, Jeralt died. 

He had wanted to comfort her, wanted to hold her in his arms and let her cry until she was ready to face the world once more. He did find her in Jeralt’s office, shamelessly following Edelgard in secret and entering the room once the white haired woman had left. He told her that it was alright to take the time to grieve. That, sometimes, the only way to move forward was to stop for now and just… let go.

She had only smiled at him sadly and thanked him.

When she returned to her duties the following day, he knew that she did so with a heavy heart and a grief that has not yet come to pass. If his words could not comfort her and his advice cannot reach her then his strength will support her. He had been serious when he had told her that all she had to do was say the word and he would kill anyone for her. She had been surprised by those words but there was no disgust or fear in her eyes. 

There was understanding.

Yes, she understood him. She wished for vengeance just as much as he did. 

She understood him.

But she had left with Edelgard and her class in haste. By the time news of their pursuit reached his ears, they were already far gone.

And he feared for her life. 

He didn’t trust any of them to protect her. Where were they when she watched her father die in front of her?

Where was Edelgard when she had to hold her father in her arms as he died?

If it had been him, if he and his class had been there, if she had chosen him…

When he saw them return with her in Edelgard’s arms, he felt like his heart had stopped.

She looked so pale, as if she had been kissed by Death itself. He barely realized that her hair color had changed and his feet had carried him to Edelgard’s side with a desperate shout of “Professor!” escaping his lips.

Edelgard had been too surprised to stop him from taking her in his arms. She was warm. She was still alive.

Thank the goddess.

Edelgard and her housemates could only follow him as he rushed her to the infirmary. 

It had taken both Dedue and Mercedes to calm him down, to get him out of the room so the healers could focus on her.

Edelgard had stared at him with a blank expression on her face but he didn’t pay it any heed.

Sylvain had already informed him of the rumors surrounding him and her. He was simply grateful that most of the rumors talked about his attraction to her being one-sided. Even if she wasn’t his professor, he still cared for her career and reputation.

But had she been his professor, she wouldn’t have had… 

The next time he saw her, she had actually been looking for him. They had met in the cathedral by accident. He had been debating if he should put the letter he had written in the advice box. It wasn’t asking for advice but an actual letter addressed to her. She had been there to ask Mercedes for his location. That was the day he finally took note of the changes in her appearance. Bathed in the cathedral’s light, she shone like Saint Seiros reincarnate.

No.

She was so much more than Saint Seiros.

In his eyes, she was a goddess.

His goddess.

He had never been a religious person. Sure, he followed the teachings of the church and could recite the hymns from memory but it was because he had been taught of it at an early age. The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus was loyal to the teachings of the goddess and, as future king, it was part of his duty to know and understand the teachings of the Church of Seiros and their goddess.

But right then and there, he would have willingly denounced his faith if she had asked him to worship her.

They had talked about Black Eagle’s upcoming mission. He had wanted to come with her but she had asked him to stay in the monastery. She wanted someone she could trust to keep everyone safe while she was away. The idea of leaving the monastery with the archbishop worried her. With the archbishop with them, Kronya and Solon’s allies could use that time to attack the monastery. She wanted to believe the knights could protect everyone but she would feel better knowing he was here in the monastery, protecting it in her stead.

He had been elated at being given such a task. He had happily accepted such a task and had sworn he would protect the monastery with his life. She smiled at him and said, “I appreciate it, Dimitri, but I would prefer if you take care of yourself as well. Even if this place is important, your life is more important to me.” 

His heart soared at those words and he had promised her, “I promise you, Professor. I will not die. No matter what. So please, promise me you will not die as well. That we will see each other after your mission and… and together…”

She halted his words with a simple touch, a lingering caress of her hand against his.

Oh, how he wished he hadn’t been wearing his gauntlets that day.

How he wished he could feel the warmth of her hands.

Her voice was soft as she whispered, “When I return from our mission… I will give you my answer.”

And he had accepted that.

He had waited patiently up to this day.

And he was willing to wait for as long as it takes.

The following day, he learned that she had accompanied Edelgard back to Enbarr for some sort of official Imperial business. A sense of foreboding gripped his heart but he paid it no heed.

It was just a few more days before her mission.

He will not waver, no matter what he hears. All that mattered was her answer. 

And her answer came not from her lips but from the lips of a furious archbishop announcing her treachery.

Edelgard was the Flame Emperor…

And she had protected the Flame Emperor, ran away with Edelgard herself…

She left him…

As if to rub salt to the wound, he found a piece of paper in his room, right next to the vase of sunflowers she had gifted him earlier that month.

The piece of paper had detailed who had been behind the Tragedy of Duscur. It had been Adrestia. It had been Edelgard.

He grabbed the sunflowers harshly before throwing the vase into the wall so hard it turned to dust at impact. He crushed the sunflowers in his hands.

Then everything went to hell.

Edelgard declared war against the Church of Seiros and anyone who supported them. Garreg Mach was attacked by the newly crowned emperor’s main force.

And he met her in the battle field.

Their weapons met, a kiss of blade against blade. She wielded a steel sword against his killer lance and he met her swift strikes with his inhuman strength.

She never used the Sword of Creator against him, never even placed her hand upon its hilt.

He never used any of the techniques under his disposal, preventing his crest of Blaiddyd from showing his rage.

But even without his crest, he had managed to pin her to the ground, her steel sword clattering out of her reach as he pressed his knee against her legs. One hand gripped her shoulder tightly, keeping her still while his other hand held his lance, its tip a few inches away from her neck. 

He was furious and his hate filled him, coiling around him like chains…

Yet…

“I wished you had chosen me, Professor.” He couldn’t help but whisper softly as he dropped his lance right beside her. He moved so his knees were between her legs. His free hand, the hand that almost took her life gently caressed her cheek, wiping the tears falling from her eyes as he whispered with a sad smile, “I would have never let you cried like this.”

Her breath hitched and the tears continue to fall. He placed his other hand on her other cheek and leaned towards her until his forehead rested against hers.

“‘I’ll fix it. I’ll fix everything.” He promised with a determination so hot it felt like it was burning him from the inside, “I will kill Edelgard. Once she is dead, you won’t have to cry anymore.”

He leaned further towards her, their lips so close he could feel his warm breath against his lips. 

It would be so easy to capture her lips right there and then, to finally taste her like how he desired for so long.

But he didn’t.

Instead he kissed her forehead and whispered, “Wait for me, Professor. I’ll fix everything.”

He couldn’t fix anything. 

He had left her and charged the Imperial forces but he had failed. Garreg Mach was lost.

He had been forced to retreat back to Faerghus. The remaining force of the Church of Seiros came with them and requested sanctuary.

The Archbishop crowned him king and he became honor-bound to protect her and the church.

Later, he would hear that she had gone missing. That she was most probably dead.

He had asked Ingrid to covertly look for her when he was first crowned king but she couldn’t find any trace of her. 

He had failed.

He should have knocked her out and retreated with her instead. Or maybe he should have gotten her to Ashe and ordered the archer to take his horse and travel to Fhirdiad ahead of them.

But none of that mattered now. This was his life now. Here he was, a king of a kingdom under attack, protecting an archbishop who was slowly going mad.

That taste of a future with her he had been blessed with was now a curse in his heart. 

He failed because he wasn’t strong enough to take down Edelgard when he had the chance. 

He won’t fail again.

He will protect his people. He will protect Faerghus.

And he would take Edelgard’s head to appease the dead.

Five long years passed. The Imperial army attack and they retaliate. They attack and the Imperial army retaliates. It felt like an endless tug of war with no end in sight. 

Then he heard the news that she had survived and she was now leading Edelgard’s main force. 

What a cruel twist of fate it was that he finally heard of her survival just a few days after he had been reminiscing of their night together in the Goddess Tower. 

The more news he received of her exploit, of the Empire’s victory, the more the archbishop’s sanity slipped. 

… the more the curse in his heart tightened its hold.

Yet, with each piece of news he heard, he heard of her mercy, of how she let all she encountered retreat. He had heard that she had been the one to ask Edelgard for Claude to be spared. 

Leicester was swallowed by Adrestia and Edelgard turned her eyes to Faerghus. 

Arianrhod fell. Cordelia was killed by Hubert. Rodrigue was executed by Edelgard. Ingrid had informed him and Felix how she had heard her try to stop Edelgard but the words fell on deaf ears. 

It brought him a bit of comfort and he wondered if she had asked for Rodrigue’s life because she remembered he had told her that he had considered the older man as his second father.

Felix had been inconsolable. He had been wounded in the battle and he had been saved because she had let his men take him and retreat. Her conflict with Felix had been the reason why Edelgard had been the one to fight Rodrigue. He knew that his childhood friend realized that. That, in some twisted way, his father’s life had been offered so he may survive.

He had asked Annette to take Felix back to Fraldarius with the other wounded and tired knights and soldiers. 

He would make his final stand with the ones who had stayed in Fhirdiad at Tailtean Plains. For better or for worse, everything will end in Tailtean Plains. Either he takes Edelgard’s head and finally end this bloody war or he would die and he could only hope that she would ask for his friends’ safety back in Fraldarius in his stead. 

He would protect his people… even at the cost of his own life. 

He didn’t expect it to cost more than his life.

His heart broke when Dedue admitted he had given the crest stones to his knights.

He knew why his dear friend had done such a thing. 

But it made him sick.

Even if he hadn’t ordered it, even if he had no knowledge of it, using humans, his own people, and turning them to monsters… Doesn’t that make him just like Edelgard?

Sylvain hadn’t been surprised when one of his knights had transformed. Did his childhood friend knew? Was he the only one who didn’t knew of Dedue’s plan? He could still remember the night they heard Miklan had turned into a monster by wielding the same lance Sylvain had in his hands right now. Sylvain hadn’t shed a single tear for his brother but he also didn’t say anything when he, Ingrid and Felix spent the night with him, huddled together in his bed with his blanket wrapped around them, like they were children again having a sleep-over in Fhirdiad. Their red-haired friend held the three of them tightly in his arms that night. 

And now, he could only watch as Sylvain retreat with an unconscious Mercedes in his arms, tears falling down his old friend’s face as he stared at him. 

It was okay.

Sylvain was doing what he had asked of him.

_ “If the battle turns dire… if Mercedes gets injured or falls… please, Sylvain, get her to safety. Go to Fraldarius.”  _ He had said to Sylvain the night before his final stand, _ “Promise me, Sylvain. Promise me you will keep them safe for me. Protect everyone in my place.” _

“Thank you, Sylvain.” He whispered as he watched his childhood friend retreat. 

He saw Dedue’s face darkened when he saw the two leave and knew that his friend was in pain, that he was drowning in guilt for being unable to protect Mercedes. 

He had to watch as Dedue transform into a monster right in front of him when she had appeared, alone and ordering her pegasus to fly towards him while Edelgard and the main force were battling the knights of Seiros.

She was planning on defeating him. She hoped that his defeat would end this battle.

Even during a time like this, she was still trying to save as many people as she could. 

He saw the horror reflected in her face as she watched Dedue transform, saw the tears falling from her eyes and he thought then and there…

He had failed her as well, didn’t he?

He promised that she wouldn’t have to cry anymore but didn’t he break that promise as well?

The monster that was once his friend, once his loyal companion, roared and reached his hand towards her. Her pegasus avoided the hand but the monster quickly slammed his hand against the pegasus instead. 

She fell on the ground right in front of him, her body shielded by the wing of her injured pegasus. Dedue roared and rushed towards her and he wondered if his old friend was still there, if the older man still remembered him, remembered all of them.

Remembered how he had confessed to him about how he had felt for her…

“Professor!” Lysithea shouted as she casted Seraphim against Dedue from far away, her hand gripping the Gloucester relic tightly. Dorothea was right beside her, casting Meteor to follow up Lysithea’s attack.

Dedue growled and turned to face them, charging them with a fury he had never seen before.

Leaving him with her…

She was already on her feet, gripping the Sword of Creator in her hand as she breathed heavily. Not even the rain could hide the tears falling from her eyes and his eyes softened as he asked solemnly, “Why did you choose Edelgard, Professor?”

_ Had you been planning to tell me you weren’t going to Fhirdiad with me back then? _

He couldn’t hide the pain in his voice as he continued, “Why did you choose to walk this savage, bloody path?”

_ Why didn’t you choose me? _

He gripped Areadbhar tight as he readied himself, “I cannot shake this feeling of regret…”

He felt tears fall from his eyes as he declared solemnly, “Regret that I must kill you now.”

Her breath hitched before her face became a mask of indifference. She gripped the Sword of Creator with both hands, her form perfect as always. Yet, her tears still fell.

Once more, they dance. This time, they danced to the tune of their blades crashing against each other. She was as swift as he remembered and the Sword of the Creator sang as the blades detached from one another, whipping towards him. 

She was aiming for his legs.

Even now, she was trying to keep him alive.

He didn’t have the same luxury.

He lunged at her, throwing Areadbhar at her. She stepped back, just as he predicted, and he managed to escape the Sword of the Creator’s range. He grabbed Areadbhar and flipped it upward, causing small rocks to hit her. One of them hit her near her right eye and she had to back away once more as the Sword of Creator returned to its original form. He didn’t waste his chance, bringing down Areadbhar.

But then… he hesitated.

Just as Areadbhar’s blade could cut her down, he stopped.

And she… she only looked at him with the same hesitation in her eyes as the Sword of Creator stopped just as it could kiss his neck with its warm sharp blade. 

Wouldn’t it be a fitting end if they both took each other out right here?

If he couldn’t kill Edelgard, at least, he could make sure the emperor no longer made her cry.

Alas, his hesitation came with a price.

A blast of dark magic threw him off. He barely heard her scream his name. He could feel his ribs break at the impact of his fall. He felt a piece of shrapnel pierce his right eye. 

He could hear Dedue’s final cry. 

Areadbhar was too far away for him to take as he went on his knees. 

And Edelgard was now in front of him.

Edelgard…

This was the emperor’s fault.

All of these were his step-sister’s fault.

“Edelgard! You…” He put all the hate and anguish in his words, “I will kill you!”

“You will know the regret of my father, who was killed for you!” He barely saw her behind Edelgard, watching the two of them with wide horrified eyes right next to Hubert, “Of my stepmother, who was slain by her own daughter!”

“You will bow your head before all of the lives you trampled for your ideals before you die in misery!” He declared hatefully and saw that the rest of her army was behind her now. 

He barely heard Edelgard’s reply, drowning in guilt and pain as he realized his knights, the people who had joined him in this foolish last stand, they were all gone now. 

Just like Dedue… 

“... you most certainly have died already.” Edelgard’s last words brought his attention back to her.

Was that pity in her voice?

He wanted to laugh. 

She had no right to pity him. She was the reason all of these were happening now. She was the instigator for the war that raged all over Fodlan. 

“If only we were born in a time of peace…” Edelgard continued as she stared at him with that face.

That face he hated so much.

That determined face that was always looking into the future, not paying heed to the people this grand dream of this cursed emperor was trampling…

“You might have lived a joyful life as a benevolent ruler.” 

He wanted to break that neck.

“To the fires of eternity with you…” He whispered brokenly, “El…”

How dare this woman speak of such things when this war, Edelgard herself, was the reason why he could no longer have that dream.

A joyful life as a benevolent ruler with her by his side…

With her…

As Edelgard raises Aymr above her head, his left eye found her staring at him, gripping the Sword of Creator so tight he could see blood dripping from her hand. Yet, all he could focus on were her tears. 

How long has she been crying?

How much more did she have to cry?

He wanted to tell her he was sorry. 

He was sorry for being too weak to kill Edelgard when he had the chance.

He was sorry for being too much of a coward to demand an answer back when he had the chance.

He was sorry for not being enough for her to choose him in the first place.

But those were not the words he said.

Instead, he gave her one final smile and declared the words he wished he had confessed all these years. He whispered to her the name of the curse that coiled and twisted his heart for the past five years.

“I love you, Byleth.”

As the sky continued to cry, three things happened all at once.

Edelgard swung Aymr down towards his neck.

She raised the Sword of Creator and its blade detached as it flew towards Aymr.

Hubert screamed his master’s name and instinctively blasted a pulse of dark magic at her. 

She fell on the ground and the trajectory of the Sword of the Creator changed, swinging towards Edelgard instead of Aymr. 

Edelgard gasped and dropped Aymr as the Sword of the Creator sliced her back. 

“Edelgard!” 

“Your Majesty!”

“Edie!”

“Lady Edelgard!”

Everyone’s attention was on the bleeding emperor in Hubert’s arms.

And he took it.

He ran past Hubert with the bleeding Edelgard in his arms and grabbed her. Areadhbar was too far away but her Sword of Creator was right beside her so he grabbed that instead. 

Most of them were still in shock of what had happened and he used it to his advantage, running towards the nearest mounted unit.

Who turned out to be Bernadetta. 

Before he could get to the mounted bow general, the Brigid princess rushed him with her sword drawn. The Sword of the Creator was warm in his hand as he parried her strike. He felt his crest scream inside him as he took a step back before striking Petra as he swung his entire body into a full circle. The Sword of the Creator sang in his hand, detaching its blade and slicing all around him. Petra managed to block but her sword broke at impact and she fell as the blade sliced her shoulder. The other soldiers surrounding him were not as lucky and the Sword of the Creator bathed in the blood of Imperial soldiers, splattering the soldiers near it with their companions’ blood. 

He didn’t waste any more time, rushing towards the frightened woman as everyone else could only watch in horror at the sudden bloodshed. Bernadetta screamed as he pulled her horse. Her horse neighed and thrashed wildly, causing the poor woman to fall on the ground. He had been raised around horses and he had trained his entire life so it had been easy to control the horse to do his bidding. He quickly climbed onto the horse, keeping a hold of her limp body in his arms. He forced the horse to gallop away from the Imperial army.

His eye met Ferdinand’s eyes who raised his lance as the Imperial noble’s horse galloped towards him. Yet, when their horses finally met, Ferdinand’s lance stayed still and he did not swing the Sword of the Creator, and his horse galloped past the red haired noble. 

The imperial army was in shambles. Their generals were still in shock over what had happened. No one dared to pursue him.

He pushed the horse towards Fraldarius territory. Fhirdiad was too near and there was a high chance that the Imperial army would decide to advance instead of retreating to Arianrhod as it was closer. He hoped his uncle would retreat from Fhirdiad and join them in Fraldarius but he also knew that his uncle believed that a Blaiddyd must always remain in Fhirdiad. 

She was cold in his arms. He could not feel her heartbeat against his chest. Had it not been for her shallow breathing, he would have thought she was already…

She’s not.

She was still alive. 

But whatever dark magic Hubert had hit her with was definitely still hurting her, killing her.

If he didn’t get her treated soon…

No.

No.

He refused for it to end like this.

He finally have her in his arms. 

He finally…

He…

“Dimitri!?” Ingrid’s voice was a welcoming sound. 

He saw her maneuver her pegasus to fly right next to him and heard her gasp as her eyes saw who he was with.

“Ingrid! Take her to the healers!” He ordered as he pulled the reins, forcing the horse to stop. Ingrid looked conflicted so he shouted, “Please, Ingrid! She saved me!”

Those seemed to have an effect. Ingrid took her in her arms and slung her into her pegasus. As she took flight, she said, “I will leave my battalion with you and get Sylvain to meet with you! We’re all in Castle Fraldarius!”

With that said, Ingrid’s pegasus flew faster than he has ever seen. He could see the shadows of her battalion above him and he maneuvered the horse into a cantor, giving the poor horse a break. He would let the horse rest but that was not a luxury any of them had. 

Sylvain reached him just as he could see Castle Fraldarius in the distance. 

“Dimitri!” Sylvain exclaimed with relief as the older man wrapped him in his arms. His childhood friend’s hold was tight and a bit painful but it was warm and…

Oh goddess.

He was still alive.

It just finally dawned on him. 

He was still alive.

The ride to Castle Fraldarius was quick as he traded horses with one of the Gautier knights accompanying Sylvain. 

When he reached the castle, Annette immediately ran towards him, crying as she held him tightly. 

“Oh, Dimitri! Thank the goddess!” Annette exclaimed and he didn’t even have time to do anything as Ashe suddenly wrapped his arms around him.

“Dimitri! I’m-I’m so happy you’re alive!” 

He wanted to laugh.

It took his near death experience for his closest friends to finally call him by his name.

Then, he saw Mercedes.

Mercedes looked at him with red puffy eyes and he could only close his eye and shake his head. Mercedes’s hand shook as she covered her mouth and tears threatened to fall from her eyes. 

Still, she walked towards him and gave him a shaky smile as she said gently, “I am so happy that you are alive, Dimitri.”

He couldn’t help the tears that fell from his eye at those words. She gently touched his bloodied right cheek as she whispered, “Let’s get that eye treated, okay?”

Everyone followed him and Mercedes as they went to the infirmary inside the castle. Right next to the infirmary was the Healing room where those with grave wounds were attended by the healers.

That’s where he saw Ingrid and Felix furiously whispering to each other. They stopped when they saw him. Felix’s eyes narrowed and he walked towards him, grabbing his coat as he growled, “What the hell were you thinking, you idiot?! She’s an enemy!”

“She saved me.” He said, grabbing Felix’s wrist.

“Did she now?” Felix hissed, “What makes you think this isn’t one of that woman’s plans?! You… you haven’t changed at all!”

Felix pushed him as he raged, “She just looks at you and you fall all over! Everybody knows about your disgusting feelings for her! That woman knew about it! She-”

“She attacked Edelgard to save me.” He said and that made Felix pause.

“Why now?” Felix whispered, his voice cracking, as he looked down, “Why didn’t she… why?”

Everybody knew what the dark haired man was trying to say.

But no one could answer the question.

Sylvain wrapped his arms around Felix and told him, “Go get that eye looked at. I got this.” 

He hesitated but Ingrid placed a gentle hand on Felix’s shoulder and nodded at him. Mercedes gently grabbed his arm and led him to the infirmary. Annette and Ashe followed them. In the infirmary, Mercedes gently guided him to a chair and both women helped him take off his armor so he was left wearing his long sleeved fitted black shirt and combat trousers. While the more experienced healer looked at his eye, Annette was casting heal all over his body. He felt his ribs knit back together and the many cuts he had gotten slowly close. Ashe kept watch on the door silently. Mercedes had to physically remove the shrapnel in his right eye before healing it. When they were done, he knew that his right eye was a lost cause. The older woman didn’t have to say anything. Instead, she gently tied an eyepatch around it, sealing its fate. 

When they left the infirmary, Ingrid was the only one left standing by the healer’s door. On her hand, she held a simple brown book. His childhood friend’s face was grim as she explained, “The healers are still working on her. Whatever hit her had been a powerful dark magic and it’s quickly killing her from the inside. They…”

The blonde woman hesitated on her next words and said as gently as she could, “They’re doing the best they can.”

The pegasus knight handed the book to him as she explained, “The healers got this from her. They think it would be best if we were to hold on to it as it might get lost while they… while they’re busy. I… I checked a few of the pages.”

His childhood friend pressed the book to his chest as she said, “It’s a diary. It seemed to be Sir Jeralt’s diary and then hers. I think… You should read it, Your Majesty.”

He finally took the book… the diary from Ingrid. Once it was out of her hand, she said, “I will go and coordinate with our scouts. They should be back with news from Fhirdiad.”

“I’ll join you.” Ashe said and Ingrid nodded at their grey haired friend.

Ingrid turned towards Annette and asked, “Could you please check on Felix and Sylvain? They’re in Felix’s quarters. I just… I know he will feel much better if you were there.”

Annette glanced at her best friend who simply nodded with a soft smile. The younger woman smiled gratefully at Mercedes before nodding at the female knight, “Of course! I’ll bring tea.”

Annette embraced him quickly before leaving while Ingrid placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently, and Ashe bowed at him before they left. Mercedes took his hand and gently guided him to sit in one of the chairs on the opposite wall in front of the door. They sat in silence with Mercedes holding one of his hands. He placed the diary on his lap and opened it to the first page. 

Almost half of the pages were written by Jeralt who had surprisingly neat handwriting. The one that caught his attention had been the ones that talked about her birth, how she had been a baby who never cried and how her heart did not beat. His blood run cold as he read about how the archbishop had done something to her, how her father had ran away with her to keep her safe and far away from whatever plan Lady Rhea had in store for her. When he reached the date of Jeralt’s death, the handwriting changed.

She continued to write in the diary.

She had written her thoughts in it. How she was wary about the archbishop just like her father. How she was worried about Edelgard, that she noticed how secretive she and Hubert had been and she was trying to keep a close eye on them both. 

How she had been waiting for the perfect time to finally tell him that she planned to quit being a professor once he graduated so she could accompany him back to Fhirdiad. 

At those words, he couldn’t stop the tears falling from his eye. Mercedes looked at him with concern in her eyes but kept quiet and simply began to rub his back slowly.

He continued to read, wanting…

No.

He needed to find out why she had defected then.

If she had chosen him, why then…

The entry after the archbishop returned without her and Edelgard answered his question.

She had protected Edelgard because she cared. Even if the white haired woman was the Flame Emperor, she could not bring herself to kill her student as Lady Rhea had ordered. She had protected Edelgard because she cared and she wanted to know why her student could do such atrocities in the first place. Lady Rhea had gone mad and she had been forced to escape her wrath, forced to join Edelgard because the Church of Seiros was now hunting her down as well.

Her entry that day ended with her not knowing what to do, lost and confused. 

She had no choice but to join Edelgard.

He had to stop reading at those words.

When they had fought, did he… did he give her a reason to believe that he wouldn’t listen to her had she tried to explain? 

He…

He had been blinded by rage that day, by the betrayal he felt she had done and by the treachery of Edelgard and her empire. 

He didn’t give her a reason to think he would have listened, that he would have believed her if she had just explained it.

But would he had?

Would he truly believe her if she had explained her side then?

He tightened her grip on Mercedes’ hand and closed his eye. 

There was no use trying to think about it now. He couldn’t turn back time. All he could do was move forward.

He needed to. For the people who are depending on him, for the people who have lost their lives so he may live…

He opened his eye and continued to read. 

The next entry was five years after the fall of Garreg Mach. She wrote that she had been asleep the entire time. He felt like he shouldn’t believe her but, after reading the entries about how she had fused with the actual goddess Sothis and how the archbishop was most probably behind it, why would this be unbelievable? 

She wrote how she joined Edelgard’s forces because she had no other choice and how she had been trying to curb most of Edelgard’s more radical and violent plans. She also wrote how she had tried to keep as many of her old students alive.

She wrote how failing to save Rodrigue was her greatest regret. Her writing was smudged in some places in that entry. She had written how she had been too late and how she had used up all of her chances that day when she heard Rodrigue had been executed. 

She wrote about how she was worried about him when he hears the news of his second father’s death.

The final entry was written the day before his last stand in the Tailtean Plains. 

_ I had asked Edelgard to spare Dimitri. I tried to reason that Dimitri is loved by the people of Faerghus, that executing him will only make the kingdom hate her and may cause them to revolt against her later. That it would be better if Dimitri was exiled or put into house arrest instead. She would not listen. She is too blinded by her hatred for Rhea to see that Dimitri is only protecting her because he is honor-bound to do so. Hubert only made things worse by asking if I was trying to spare Dimitri because of my feelings for him. Edelgard would not listen to anything I say after that. _

_ Hubert is not wrong. My request for Dimitri’s life is not for Edelgard’s sake but for my own selfish wish. Even if he hates me, even if I am an enemy in his eyes. _

_ I still love him. _

_ Even after all these years, I think I had been in love with him for a while now. _

_ I didn’t pick the Blue Lions because I knew I was attracted to him and it would be inappropriate for me to be his professor. I tried to stay away from him but it didn’t work. The more I spend time with him, the more my feelings for him changed into a simple attraction to something more. _

_ I wished I had said yes back in the Goddess Tower. _

_ I wished I had said yes before I left for Enbarr with Edelgard. _

_ I wished _

_ I wished I had kissed him back then. If I had, would he have left to find Edelgard? Would he have finally listened to what I had to say?  _

_ Would he even had believed me if I did say something? _

_ There is no use wondering about what could have happened. I do not have the power to turn back time that far.  _

_ All I can do is participate in tomorrow’s battle and try to save him and his friends. _

_ I won’t let him die. Not him. Even if I am clinging to a future I had destroyed myself, even if I am clinging to the memories of the short time I had with him and the sweet future I was able to glimpse during those times, these are all I have left. _

_ He might hate me. He might want to kill me. _

_ But I am making my final choice here and now. _

_ I choose him. _

_ I will keep him safe even if it costs me my life. _

That was the end of her entry and a few of the words became smudged as his tears fell on them. He closed the diary and pressed it hard against his chest.

She had chosen him.

In the end, she had chosen him.

And now, her choice has brought her to death’s embrace.

“Your majesty.” He raised his head and a healer was standing in front of him, tired and pale. Both were signs of overusing magic. The healer had a grim expression as he said, “We managed to remove the dark magic in her.”

“That’s good.” Mercedes sighed in relief.

“However, we are not sure if… if she is alright.” The healer continued, hesitating for a moment before explaining, “Her heart does not beat, Your Majesty. She breathes and she has a pulse but her heart does not beat. We are unsure if this is a side-effect of the dark magic-”

“No.” He interrupted his grip on the diary tightening, as he said, “She was born without a heartbeat. It’s normal.”

“Oh.” The healer looked like he wanted to ask for more information but stopped himself, saying instead, “Then if the lack of a heartbeat is normal then she is stable. She has not woken yet but we are hopeful she will make a complete recovery.” 

“Isn’t that great, Dimitri?” The woman next to him asked with a gentle smile and he nodded.

“May I… may I see her?” He asked the healer who nodded.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The healer replied, “We have cleaned up the room so she could receive visitors.”

“Thank you.” He nodded at the healer who bowed. He stood and Mercedes kept a comforting hand on his back as they walked inside the Healing Room.

There, in the left bed nearest to the door, she laid asleep. The white sheets and bedding made her look like a ghost with her pale complexion and pale green hair. The healers have changed her clothes to a loose fitting white dress with long see-through sleeves. Mercedes guided him to the chair right next to the bed and whispered to him, “I’ll go talk to the other healers for a bit, okay? I’ll ask them for more information.”

“Thank you, Mercedes.” He whispered back. Before the kind young woman could leave though, he whispered, “I’m sorry I couldn’t save him.”

He couldn’t look at the older woman’s face but he heard her gentle voice say, “Please do not be sorry, Dimitri. We… I knew he wasn’t coming back. That night, when I saw him with those crest stones, I…”

Mercedes’ voice stopped and he finally looked towards her. The young woman was smiling sadly at him as she pleaded, “Please, Dimitri, promise me you will live. Promise me you will not throw away the life that he had protected until the very end.”

“I promise.” He whispered and her sad smile became softer. He watched the grieving woman leave until the door closed behind her. Once the door was closed, he turned to look back at her and gently wrapped his hand around hers. It was soft and small yet it was so warm. 

He pressed her hand against his forehead and sighed deeply.

He wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. 

But for now, he would take this short respite and wait for her to wake up.

Once she wakes up, he’ll plan his next move.

Once she wakes up, he’ll tell her once more how he feels. 

And, maybe this time, she would finally answer back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ……………………………. This was longer than I expected. Like… I can’t even… I don’t know, guys. I needed to end it here because that’s as far as I know happened in the route. At least it’s a hopeful ending? Maybe I’ll continue this once my oh so wonderful childhood friend tells me what happened after. XD
> 
> Dimitri’s thoughts about Jeralt’s death  
I know that Jeralt’s death wouldn’t have changed even if it was Dimitri instead of Edelgard but Dimitri doesn’t know that.
> 
> The Blue Lions  
So, in this fic, I changed it so that if Byleth spares someone, they don’t join her, instead they retreat. This is mainly because I don’t want Dimitri and Dedue to be alone and, also, I don’t want any of them to have to fight Dimitri and Dedue.


	2. Small Sunflower: “Adoration“ / “Love” / “Attachment”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The curtain to this bloody savage war has come to a close. The final stage ends in the Kingdom capital, Fhirdiad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys wanted a continuation so here it is. Thank [eisneRiegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan) for sending me the necessary fuel (haha) to create this. (no twitter link as our chat during that time was less traumatizing as she just wants to end the route already and I was in my ‘I don’t particularly care anymore. My king is dead.’ part of the stages of grief. XD) 
> 
> Warning: The battle scene in this chapter is much more descriptive of the violence than the previous chapter but I don’t think it’s enough to update the rating to M but let me know if I should, guys. If you guys read [The Lost Heir of Seiros](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20550656) (shameless plug), the description would be on the level of the Cornelia scene… maybe...

He had dozed off while holding her hand. He wasn’t even sure how long he was able to sleep but he knew it couldn’t have been that long as he was immediately awake when he heard the door opened loudly. Ashe entered the room, breathing heavily. He was immediately on his feet and he walked towards his friend. 

Just outside the door, he saw that the rest of his inner circle were also running towards them. Ingrid was the first to speak, her voice unable to conceal her worry as she asked, “Ashe. I heard you have received urgent news from one of our scouts from Fhirdiad?”

Ashe had to catch his breath and Mercedes rubbed his back soothingly. The grey haired man turned to face his king as he reported desperately, “The church plans to burn Fhirdiad!”

Annette and Mercedes gasped while his childhood friends could only stare at Ashe with wide eyes. Their friend was shaking as he continued, “One of our spies in the church sent the report to our scout. The archbishop has ordered Fhirdiad to be burned to stop the Adrestia Empire from taking it.”

“That bitch!” Sylvain growled, punching the wall next to him. 

“This has to be a mistake.” Mercedes said yet her voice was soft and it was clear to everyone that she didn’t believe it was a mistake. She closed her eyes and bowed her head as she prayed, “Oh dear Goddess, please let this be a mistake.” 

“So the Adrestia Empire is on its way to Fhirdiad…” He clenched his fist as he asked, “Are there any news about my uncle?”

It was Ingrid who replied with a nod, “As you have instructed beforehand, I had his guards knock him out if they hear any reports of our… lost. They’re now on their way here to Fraldarius.”

He knew his uncle would be furious once he realized that his nephew had ordered he be kidnapped and taken to safety as he had been adamant on staying in Fhirdiad. He didn’t care if his uncle hates him because of this if it meant he was going to live.

“Thank you, Ingrid.” He nodded at his childhood friend before he turned to face everyone as he ordered, “Prepare for battle. We will march to Fhirdiad as soon as possible.”

“Are you serious, Dimitri?!” Felix hissed, glaring at him, “We barely have enough knights to defend this castle and you want us to rally everyone else to take on the empire?”

“Not the empire.” He shook his head before he declared, “We will march to Fhirdiad to save our people. The church has betrayed us after all that we have done for them and their archbishop.”

His remaining eye was filled with burning rage as he growled, “As of today, both Adrestia Empire and the Church of Seiros are our enemies! We will march to Fhirdiad to save our people. Anyone who dares stand in our way, whether they be from the empire or from the church, we will take them down!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Everyone bowed, even Felix which actually surprised him a bit.

“Let me help.” 

His breath hitched as he heard her voice from behind him. He turned around and there she was, slowly getting out of the bed. She held onto the back of the chair he had been sitting on as she stood.

“No.” He immediately said, walking towards her. 

“Please, Dimitri.” She pleaded as she stared at him. Her eyes widened when she noticed his eyepatch.

Mercedes cleared her throat and gently pulled Ashe out of the room as she said, “We’ll go and prepare the troops, Dimitri.”

“Y-yeah!” Ashe nodded eagerly and Ingrid closed the door behind them, giving the two privacy.

She gently touched his right cheek as she whispered sadly, “Oh, Dimitri…” 

He held her hand, relishing at the warmth, and pressed it against his cheek as he whispered, “Please do not worry. I’m alright. This… this is alright.”

He rested his forehead against hers and pulled her closer as he confessed, “I would gladly offer up both of my eyes if it means I can finally have you in my arms.”

She closed her eyes as her tears fell. His heart ached at the sight of those tears. Once more, he could not keep her from crying.

He was still a failure.

She placed her free hand on his other cheek and whispered, “There are so many things I wish to say. So many things I want to tell you.”

“I know. There are so many things I wish to tell you too.” He whispered back, gently covering her other hand with his, “Unfortunately, we do not have the time. If the reports are true, I must return to Fhirdiad as soon as possible. My people need me.”

She nodded in understanding and he placed his hands on her waist. He stared at her face as he whispered, “But I need to say this. I must say this.”

“I love you, Byleth.” He confessed once more and she opened her eyes to stare at him. He smiled softly as he gently said, “I have been in love with you for so long and losing… losing you broke something inside me. I will not be able to live with myself if I lose you once more. That is why I need you to be safe, my beloved. I need you here in Fraldarius where you can be safe.”

Her hands moved towards the back of his neck as she confessed, “I love you too, Dimitri.”

He felt like he had died and gone to heaven. For all his dreams and wishes to be with her, he realized that it had never occurred to him that she could ever love him back. To finally hear those three words from her lips… 

“And not a day passes by that I did not regret not being with you from the very beginning.”

She leaned closer, their lips just inches from one another as she whispered, “I would rather be in the middle of the most dangerous battlefield if it means I can stay by your side. Dimitri… I won’t ever leave you again. You cannot make me leave you again.”

At those words, he couldn’t stop himself from finally capturing her lips. He had been too eager and couldn’t control his strength so they ended up falling onto the bed.

Their first kiss was passionate and frenzied. Five years worth of longing and desire finally given freedom. Her hands left his neck and traveled downwards, slipping under his shirt to touch the skin underneath. He slightly leaned back, ending their kiss. He stared at her as he placed his hand on her knee, slowly caressing upwards to her thigh. When his hand touched the hem of her dress, he stopped, gulping before he whispered, “May I?”

She nodded, kissing the corner of his lips before whispering back, “Yes, Dimitri. Touch me.”

At those words, he captured her lips once more as his hands finally move.

Even though he knew that this was just a momentary respite, for now, at this very moment, nothing else mattered but the warmth of her body against his. 

He felt her desires match his, his longing quenched by her own longing and as their lips continue to meet, as their hands touch one another and their bodies pressed against each other, he knew that this wasn’t a taste of what was to come.

This was a promise. 

A promise of their future together. 

  
  
  


Fhirdiad was burning.

They had been too late.

After everything he had done… 

After everything the people of Faerghus had sacrificed…

This was how the Church of Seiros show their gratitude?

His grip on his killer lance tightened.

So many people have lost their lives.

People who laid down their lives for the archbishop, for her Goddess…

People who laid down their lives for him, for their belief in their king… 

Rodrigue… Dedue... 

And now…

Fhirdiad, his home…

“Dimitri.” Her hand rested upon his shoulder.

He closed his eye and took a deep breath.

The smoke burned his lungs.

He opened his eye and turned towards his remaining force as he held the hand that had been on his shoulder. He stared at her and his heart soared once more as he saw the armor she was currently wearing. Her armor and the rest of her clothes had to be replaced. Someone had given her a white version of the Pegasus Knight armor with blue lining and warm black leggings. The only thing that remained from her old armor was the Sword of the Creator and the dagger she always took with her. She was also given a blue cape with white fur, the crest of Blaiddyd sewed to the cape. She looked like she belonged to Faerghus.

Like she belonged to him.

Their eyes met and she nodded at him. He squeezed her hand gently before letting go. He turned to face the remaining Kingdom forces.

“Our priority is our people!” He ordered, banishing the screams of the dead demanding blood.

The red emperor’s blood.

The ungrateful archbishop’s blood.

The blood of every last one who ordered and lit the flames that now surrounds Fhirdiad.

“Avoid engaging the Imperial army and the Knights of Seiros! Protect our people and take them out of Fhirdiad!” He commanded yet he did not bother to hide the rage in his voice as he added, “But cut down anyone who stands in your way! Defend our people and kill those who dare harm them!”

His knights, his loyal army, the remnants of what was once the great knight order of Faerghus, raised their weapon up into the air as they delivered their battle cry. He turned towards Fhirdiad, towards the burning city, and raised his lance to the air as he shouted, “For Faerghus!”

“For Faerghus!” His army echoed back and he lowered his lance, pointing it to his city.

Sylvain and his mounted battalion rode to the burning city first, taking the left side. Ingrid and her Falcon knights flew above him towards the right side. Ashe and his mounted bow knight battalion followed after Ingrid to provide support. Felix and Annette took their battalions and entered the city after them, taking the center.

He watched Fhirdiad for a few seconds before he turned back, facing her, Mercedes and their battalions. 

His eyes narrowed as he declared, “We will take down the Archbishop. Rhea, Seiros, it doesn’t matter what she calls herself. Her betrayal shall not go unpunished!”

Both women’s gaze was solemn but determined and they nodded at him. He nodded back before he turned back to the city. He shouted as he charged, “For Faerghus!”

“For Faerghus!” Their battalions shouted as they charged after their king.

Seeing and feeling the flames up close brought memories of that day. 

But he pressed on.

He will not falter. He will not fail.

Not this time.

He cut down any who stood in his path.

Red. White.

It mattered not.

If they do not wear the blue of his kingdom, they were enemies.

Felix and Annette stayed behind to protect their exit as they pushed deeper and deeper into the Kingdom capital to save his people. 

Until they finally reached her…

“No.” He heard her whisper from behind him.

“Dear Goddess…” He heard Mercedes gasp.

In front of them, where there used to be a beautiful plaza, now laid debris and flames, surrounding a white dragon and…

“Edelgard?” He couldn’t help but say out loud.

It was Edelgard.

Or… what has become of her.

Floating in the air, clad in grotesque black armor that was bigger than her, the emperor looked like a winged demon. Bursts of dark magic appeared in front of her and charged the white dragon who roared as she batted them all with a quick swipe of her tail. 

“Edelgard, you…” He gripped his lance tightly and shook his head. He readied himself as he said solemnly, “We shall deal with Edelgard later. Our target is the treacherous archbishop!”

With that declaration, he rushed towards the two fighting monsters. 

A tired Hubert noticed him and raised his hand, a glow of dark magic surrounding his palm.

He heard the Sword of Creator sang and saw its detached tip pierced Hubert on the shoulder, causing him to stagger back. The Sword of Creator returned to its original form from behind him and he heard her say, “Stay down, Hubert!”

“Professor.” Hubert hissed, applying pressure to his injured shoulder as he went on his knees while Mercedes rushed towards his side with two knights from their king’s battalion. The knights subdued Hubert as the gremory healed his shoulder. The rest of their battalions intercepted the church’s knights and imperial troops surrounding the dragon and Edelgard. Mercedes’ bishop battalion took out what remained of Hubert’s warlock battalion before focusing their energy in providing support to their comrades. 

Just as the dragon opened her jaw to bite Edelgard, he threw his lance at her. The archbishop roared as his weapon impaled her back leg to the ground, causing her to barely miss Edelgard.

Edelgard didn’t move and seemed surprised by the sudden intrusion while the dragon turned to look at who had attacked her. 

“Foolish king! How dare you attack me!” The dragon roared, swiping her tail towards him. He slid to the ground, dodging the tail, and grabbed his lance, pulling it out before taking a few steps back. The dragon turned her full attention at him and reared her head as a blue glow starts to emit from her mouth. The detached blades of Sword of Creator flew and slashed her mouth. The dragon staggered away from him. 

“My teacher…” Edelgard’s voice was inhuman and haunted as she watched her professor stand beside her step-brother. 

Both of them readied their weapons once more and the dragon roared, “You foolish boy! You dare betray me for that thief?!”

“No, you fiend!” He shouted back, “You betrayed me! You betrayed Faerghus! By burning down the city of the people who took you in, who protected you and who lost their lives so you might survive, you have shown your gratitude by attacking us! By burning our very home!”

“You have brought this upon yourself!” He rushed towards the dragon as he declared, “Suffer in the eternal flames, you treacherous beast!”

The dragon roared angrily and breathed a burst of blue flames. Both of them evaded the blue flames as Mercedes raised her hand towards the dragon.

The red flames of Bolganone erupted from the ground right next to the dragon’s left front leg. She roared as she staggered back and he took the opening, piercing her right front leg. The dragon turned her head towards him, her jaws open but the Sword of Creator whipped towards her jaw, giving him enough time to take out his lance and step back. She was immediately by his side, delivering a horizontal slice on the dragon’s already wounded right front leg. 

As the great dragon’s right front leg gave out under her, both of them immediately turned their attention to her burnt left front leg. She distracted their enemy by whipping the Sword of Creator towards her head, coiling the blades around her neck. The dragon roared once more and leaned her head back while he readied his lance, his Blaiddyd crest screamed inside him as he threw his lance towards the remaining front leg. His lance shattered on impact, countless shards impaling itself to the dragon’s leg. As her other front leg gave out under her, the dragon thrashed her head and the Sword of Creator forced its wielder to fly to the air by the dragon’s thrashing. She only remained determined as she flicked the hilt, forcing the Sword of Creator to dislodge from the dragon’s neck. As she falls to the ground, he was already by his side, catching her in his arms. 

“Head.” She said, pointing at the dragon’s head with the Sword of Creator. He didn’t hesitate, spinning around before throwing her towards the thrashing dragon. She gripped her relic with both her hands and plunged the blade right into the dragon’s left eye.

As the dragon howled in pain, he ordered, “Lance!”

The nearest member of his battalion threw his bloody lance to him which he caught in mid-air and he rushed towards the howling dragon just in time to see her pull the Sword of Creator from the dragon’s eye by kicking the dragon’s face. She gracefully leaped off the dragon’s head and her eyes met his. He lightened his grip on his new lance so it slid off until he was holding it near the end. He grabbed the lance with his other hand and spun around. She landed on the middle of his lance and the momentum of his spin flew her back to the howling dragon. She spun in the air as the Sword of Creator detached its blades and flew all around her, slicing the dragon’s neck and shoulder as she passed the angry dragon by. The detached blade danced and sliced the wings of the white beast and she landed on the other side between the dragon and her previous student, the Sword of Creator returning to its original form. She was immediately back on her feet, her back turned towards the monstrous red emperor as she prepared for the dragon’s counterattack. 

“So, in the end…” Edelgard’s inhuman voice held a tone of sadness and acceptance as she said, “You have chosen him. No… It has always been him. Isn’t that right, my teacher?”

She remained quiet and watched as the dragon’s head fall to the ground and he lunged at their huge enemy, piercing the dragon’s neck with his lance. The dragon howled and a burst of blue flames erupted from her mouth. He had to leave his lance lodged into the dragon’s neck to evade the blue flames but the dragon was quicker, releasing another burst of blue flames at him. 

“Dimitri!” She screamed as she hastily whipped the Sword of Creator towards the dragon. She managed to hit the white monster’s head, making the dragon stagger, but the burst of blue flames was already on its way towards him and he didn’t have enough time to dodge.

The blue flames exploded as it collided with smaller bursts of dark magic. The explosion caused him to fly back a few feet but he remained unharmed.

More smaller bursts of dark magic appeared around Edelgard and flew towards the dragon as she outstretched her monsterous arms. The dragon charged Edelgard and breathed a volley of smaller but faster balls of blue flames. 

All of them were directed at Edelgard and… at the woman he loved.

“BYLETH!” He screamed, running towards her. 

Edelgard curled her grotesque body over her professor, shielding her from the volley of blue flames as balls of dark magic bursts in front of Edelgard, taking the brunt of the blue flames’ damage. However, Edelgard’s quickly created dark shield could not take every single ball of blue flames and she was soon bombarded by the dragon’s relentless assault as the dragon made her way towards them. 

“Dimitri!” 

He barely heard the shout but he reacted on instinct as a lance was thrown at him on his way towards Edelgard and the dragon.

The lance on his grip pulsed and warmed his hand.

It was Areadbhar.

He turned to where the lance came from and saw a battered Dorothea trying to keep a wounded Ferdinand upright in her arms. Ferdinand smiled weakly at him before he fell on his knees, taking Dorothea with him as blood continuously dripped from his stomach while the songstress cries as she holds him.

“Mercedes!” He shouted, pointing Areadbhar at the two Black Eagle Strike Force members. He turned his attention back to the dragon, believing that his friend would understand his silent command.

He gripped Areadbhar tightly, feeling it pulse in his hands as he reached the two monsters just as the dragon harshly bit on Edelgard’s shoulder. Edelgard’s scream was inhuman and horrible as the dragon’s mighty jaw dug deeply before pulling, taking Edelgard’s entire left arm with it. Edelgard fell to the ground, exposing her professor. 

“Forgive me, my teacher.” Edelgard’s weak inhuman voice could barely be heard as her monstrous form start to turn into black dust, “I have failed you.”

The dragon threw the severed arm and lunged once more, this time opening its jaw towards the woman Edelgard was protecting. She held the Sword of Creator with both of her hands as the dragon roared, “Give me back my mother!”

The Sword of Creator detached itself and flew at the dragon in a straight line. Once it was inside the dragon’s open mouth, the Sword of Creator’s entirety glowed dark red as she let out a battle cry. The detached blades of the Sword of Creator frenziedly danced inside the dragon’s mouth, cutting and slicing without mercy. 

The dragon howled in pain and he spun at the dragon’s stomach, slamming Areadbhar with all of his strength. The Crest of Blaiddyd sang in his veins and Areadbhar was engulfed in the same dark red glow as it slices through the dragon’s abdomen. 

The dragon’s roar was full of pain and anguish as she roared into the sky, torrents of green blood gushing out of the mighty wound Areadbhar has inflicted. He stood between her and their large enemy, facing the dragon and using his larger body to shield her. 

The dragon let out a final anguished roar before falling to the ground.

Everything stood still until…

“Edelgard!” Her voice caused him to turn around. In her arms, his step sister was breathing heavily.

No longer clad in that grotesque black monstrocity, Edelgard looked weak and frail in her professor’s arms. Her normally grand emperor clothes were dirty and wet with her own blood. He walked towards them, his grip on Areadbhar tightening as he heard her speak weakly, “It brings me great joy to see you are well, my teacher.” 

“Lady Edelgard!” Hubert ran passed him and knelt right next to the dying emperor.

Once he stood in front of his step-sister, Edelgard raised her head to look at him, “Dimitri.”

Mercedes stopped next to him, her hands gripping the fabric of her skirt as she looked at her liege from the corner of her eyes, silently asking him if she should heal the dying emperor.

Did he want Edelgard to live?

The voices in his head demanded he severed her head just as she had been planning to do to him just a few days back. 

This war will not end unless she was dead as well.

She has brought destruction and pain all over Fodlan.

She was the reason why so many people have died. 

This grand dream of hers was the cause of the mountains of corpses that now enveloped the entirety of Fodlan.

But yet…

She was still his...

His step-sister took that choice away from him as she said, “Do not bother. No magic can heal these wounds.”

Mercedes closed her eyes and nodded, leaving them to tend to those she can actually heal. 

The uncharacteristic coldness of the older woman should be surprising but he understood why. In his friend’s eyes, Edelgard was also the cause of the death of one of the most important persons in her entire life. 

Edelgard crushed their future together into smitherine that rainy day.

Edelgard’s lips curved into a small smile as she weakly proclaimed, “I give Adrestia Empire to you, King Dimitri.”

Dimitri’s eye widened at those words and Hubert sounded shock as he called out, “Your Majesty!”

Edelgard placed her hand on Hubert’s cheek as she whispered, “This is my final order to you, Hubert. Support my brother… Tell him everything.”

He couldn’t breath.

This had been the first time she had ever called him her brother.

How cruel she was to finally speak of him in such a way as she lay dying.

Hubert lowered his head as he whispered, “If that is your order, it shall be done, Lady Edelgard.”

“Thank you, Hubert…” Edelgard wiped the tears falling from her closest confidant’s eyes.

Edelgard raised her hand weakly towards her professor who grasped her hand as she silently cried. The dying emperor smiled at her as she whispered, “Please, my teacher, smile. It is finally over. There is no need for you to cry anymore.”

“Edelgard.” She held her tightly as she continued to cry and her student leaned into her warmth, “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry-”

“I wish for your happiness with all my heart, my teacher.” Edelgard cut her off. Her eyes met his one good eye as she whispered, “For both of your happiness.”

“El…” He stepped forward, raising his hand towards his step sister.

Before he could reach her, her step-sister’s eyes closed for the final time.

His hand trembled and he stood there frozen, watching as her professor and the emperor’s closest ally cried as they held her in their arms. 

He curled his hand into a fist and lowered it, closing his eye.

Around them, Fhirdiad continued to burn.

He opened his eye and took a deep breath, keeping the tears at bay. 

There will be time to mourn but not right now.

He walked towards them. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and whispered, “We must retreat, Byleth. It is not safe to stay here.”

She turned towards him and nodded. She gently pushed the emperor’s body to Hubert and stood. She reached for his hand and gently squeezed it. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before he turned to face the soldiers around them. He loudly proclaimed, “The archbishop and the emperor are dead! Surrender and you will be spared!”

Hubert stood with his liege’s body in his arms. He proclaimed, “Emperor Edelgard has declared King Dimitri as her successor! As of today, the Adrestia Empire belongs to King Dimitri of Faerghus!”

His voice cracked as he announced, “Long live the king!”

The imperial troops were stunned, unable to do anything.

Until…

“Long live the king!” Ferdinand and Dorothea shouted as tears continue to fall from their eyes, clinging to each other as they kneeled.

With the support of two more imperial generals, the imperial troops kneeled as they shouted, “Long live the king!”

Surrounded by the flames burning his home to the ground, he held her hand tightly. He looked at her and she looked back. She nodded at him, her tears finally dry and a soft sad smile on her lips. 

Together, they walked forward to a new dawn.

* * *

On the 1st day of the Harpstring Moon, the Adrestia Empire’s army battled the Church of Seiros in the burning city of Fhirdiad. Due to inhumane burning of Fhirdiad by the archbishop and the Church of Seiros, King Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd rallied his remaining forces and returned to Fhirdiad to save his people. During their rescue effort, King Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd engaged the treacherous archbishop together with Emperor Edelgard von Hresvleg and her close comrade Byleth Eisner. They vanquished the fiend but Emperor Edelgard died in Byleth’s arms, naming King Dimitri as her successor before passing. The remaining members of the Church of Seiros surrendered once they have confirmed the death of the villain Rhea and they were granted mercy by King Dimitri. 

King Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd was crowned as the first king of the Unified Kingdom of Fodlan, taking Byleth Eisner as his wife and queen. They had married out of love and their marriage helped solidify the union of Faerghus and Adrestia as king of Faerghus and heroine of Adrestia. Together, they ushered many reforms, giving priority to the inclusion of the common people in governing Fodlan by creating a new form of government, relief programs for the war torn country and stripping the church’s power over state affairs. The Church of Seiros was completely reformed under the watchful guidance of the king and queen. King Dimitri would later rally his troops against a villainous group that had been controlling Fodlan in the dark. Fodlan received reinforcement from Almyra by the orders of the newly crowned king of Almyra, Claude von Riegan, previous leader of the now dissolved Leicester Alliance, and, together, they eliminated the shadow group and finally brought peace to Fodlan. The Unified Kingdom of Fodlan later formed an alliance with Almyra, solidified by the marriage of King Claude’s daughter to King Dimitri’s firstborn son. 

(Excerpts from the history book “Fodlan’s True History Book Three” by Hubert von Vestra) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked this 2nd part with an actual ending and epilogue. (I have changed the tag to Angst with Happy Ending and removed the Hopeful Ending)  
And you bet your ass I was listening to Apex of the World (Thunder) on repeat while writing the final battle. Hahahaha
> 
> Notes and Stuff:
> 
> In case anybody ask: Yup. They totally did it.
> 
> Byleth’s Appearance At the End of Crimson Flower (Spoiler to Crimson Flower and Silver Snow)  
So, there are a few theories to why Byleth’s appearance returned to its original color at the end of Crimson Flower route. One theorizes that Rhea’s death triggered it but that leaves a big plot hole in Silver Snow where Rhea also dies unless she was S ranked so I’m using the theory that Byleth was heavily wounded in the battle and it broke her crest stone. In the last moments of her crest stone (maybe Sothis herself), it forced her heart to start beating. Since she was not heavily wounded in this battle as she and Dimitri are a badass battle couple (Sorry, El), she doesn’t return to her original appearance.
> 
> What happened to the other Church and Black Eagle units?  
You guys can decide if they died or not. The only confirmed alive Black Eagle units are Hubert (who went on to become a vassal of Byleth instead as Dimitri couldn’t stand him), Dorothea and Ferdinand. From the Church side, Gilbert is confirmed alive as he saw Annette and defected during the battle to protect the people of Faerghus.
> 
> Epilogue Dates and Discrepancies  
The final battle with Dimitri was on the 29th of Great Tree Moon. Crimson Flower’s final stage happened soon after and no date given so I’m going on a limb here and say it was around the first week of Harpstring Moon. Please correct me if there is an actual date somewhere in the game. All the discrepancies (aka: lies and half-truths) in the epilogue are all Hubert’s doing to ensure a unified Fodlan.
> 
> How come the fight with the Slitherers is only in the epilogue?  
Hey, if Crimson Flower route can turn the fight against the Slitherers as an epilogue scrawl instead of actual stages, I can do it too. Hahahahaha
> 
> Kingdom Forces (Class)  
Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd (High Lord Class)  
Byleth Eisner (Unknown Class - used to be a Pegasus Knight in the last battle)  
Sylvain Jose Gautier (Dark Knight Class - used to be a Paladin in the last battle)  
Felix Hugo Fraldarius (Swordmaster Class)  
Ingrid Brandl Galatea (Falcon Knight Class - used to be a Pegasus Knight in the battle of Arianrhod)  
Mercedes von Martritz (Gremory - used to be a Bishop in the last battle)  
Annette Fantine Dominic (Gremory - used to be a Warlock in the battle of Arianrhod)  
Ashe Ubert (Bow Knight - used to be a Sniper)  
(yeah, everyone but Dimitri, Byleth and Felix used a master seal before the final battle)

**Author's Note:**

> If you read [The Lost Heir of Seiros](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20550656?view_full_work=true) (shameless plug, yo), you would know that I am a sucker for Hanakotoba and I have decided on using Sunflower for this fic because of the following meaning:  
“Yearning” / “Longing” / ”Affection”  
“I only have eyes for you.”  
(special meaning for small sunflowers) “Noble” / “High Class” and “Adoration“ / “Love” / “Attachment”  
I was thinking of using Anemone (forsaken love, pain of love, Purple Anemone: “I believe in you and wait for you”) too but Sunflower made more… sense for this fic. Also, it’s a jab on [eisneRiegan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eisneRiegan/pseuds/eisneRiegan) because I am petty like that. XD


End file.
